OF SADNESSE OR SORROWE

O
man is more free from this passion than I, for I neither love nor
regard
it: albeit the world hath undertaken, as it were upon covenant, to
grace
it with a particular favour. Therewith they adorne age, vertue, and
conscience.
Oh foolish and base ornament! The Italians have more properly with it's
name entitled malignitie: for, it is a qualitie ever hurtfull, ever
sottish;
and as ever base and coward, the Stoikes inhibit their Elders and Sages
to be therewith tainted, or have any feeling of it. But the Storie
saith;
that Psamneticus king of Ægypt, having been defeated and taken by
Cambises king of Persia, seeing his owne daughter passe before him in
base
and vile aray, being sent to draw water from a well, his friends
weeping
and wailing about him (he with his eves fixed on the ground, could not
be moved to utter one word), and shortly after beholding his sonne led
to execution, held still the same undaunted countenance: but perceiving
a familiar friend of his haled amongst the captives, he began to beat
his
head, and burst forth into extreame sorrow. This might well be compared
to that which one of our Princes was lately seene to doe, who being at
Trent, and receiving newes of his elder brothers death; but such a
brother
as on him lay all the burthen and honour of his house; and shortly
after
tidings of his younger brothers decease, who was his second hope; and
having
with an unmatched countenance and exemplar constancie endureth these
two
affronts; it fortuned not long after, that one of his servants dying,
he
by this latter accident suffered himselfe to be so far transported,
that
quitting and forgetting his former resolution, he so abandoned himselfe
to all manner of sorrow and griefe, that some argued, only this last
mischance
had toucht him to the quicke: but verily the reason was that being
otherwise
full, and over-plunged in sorrow, the least surcharge brake the bounds
and barres of patience. The light might (I say) be, judged of our
storie,
were it not it followeth, that Cambises enquirmg of Psamneticus, why he
was nothing distempered at the misfortune of his sonne and daughter, he
did so impatiently beare the disaster of his friend: 'It is,' answered
he, 'because this last displeasure may be manifested by weeping whereas
the two former exceed by much, all meanes and compass to bee expressed
by teares.' The invention of that ancient Painter might happily fit
this
purpose, who in the sacrifice of Iphigenia, being to represent the
griefe
of the by-standers, according to the qualitie and interest each one
bare
for the death of so faire, so young and innocent a Lady, having
ransacked
the utmost skill and effects of his art, when he came to the Virgins
father,
as if no countenance were able to represent that degree of sorrow, he
drew
him with a vaile over his face. And that is thereason why our Poets
faine
miserable Niobe, who first having lost seven sonnes and immediately as
many daughters, as one over-burthened with their losses, to have been
transformed
into a stone;

Diriguisse malis:
--Ovid. Metam. 1. vi. 303.

And grew as
hard as stone,
But miserie and moane.

Thereby to expresse this
mournfull shent stupiditie, which so doth pierce
us, when accidents surpassing our strength orewhelme us. Verily the
violence
of a griefe, being extreme; must needs astonie the mind, and hinder the
liberty of her actions. As it hapneth at the sudden alarum of some bad
tidings, when we shall feele our selves surprised, benummed, and as it
were deprived of all motion, so that the soule bursting afterward forth
into teares and complaints, seemeth at more ease and libertie to loose,
to cleare and dilate it selfe.

Et via vix tandem
voci laxata dolore est. --Virg. Æn.
1. xi. 151.

And scarce at
last for speech,
By griefe was made a breach.

In the warres which king
Ferdinando made against the widow of John king
of Hungaria, about Buda; a man at armes was particularly noted of all
men,
for much as in a certaine skirmish be had shewed exceeding prowesse of
his body, and though unknowne, being slaine, was highly commended and
much
bemoaned of all; but yet of none so greatly as of a Germane lord,
called
Raisciac, as he that was amased at so rare vertue: his body being
recovered
and had off, this Lord, led by a common curiositie, drew neere unto it,
to see who it might be, and having caused him to be disarmed, perceived
him to be his own sonne; which knowne, did greatly augment the
compassion
of all the camp: he only without framing word, or closing his eyes, but
earnestly viewing the dead body of his sonne, stood still up upright,
till
the vehemencie of his sad sorrow, having suppressed and choaked his
vitall
spirits, fell'd him starke dead to the ground.

miserably from me
This bereaves all sense: for I can no sooner
Eie thee my sweet heart, but I wot not one word to speak amazed.
Tongue-tide as in a trance, while a sprightly thin flame
Flowes in all my joynts with a selfe-resounding
Both my ears tingle, with a night redoubled
Both mine eies are veild.

Nor is it in the
liveliest, and most ardent heat of the fit, that wee are
able to display our plaints and perswasions, the soule being then
aggravated
with heavie thoughts, and the body suppressed and languishing for love.
And thence is sometimes engendered that casuall faintnes, which so
unseasonably
surpriseth passionate Lovers, and that childnesse, which by the

When she beheld me
come, and round about
Senselesse saw Trojan armes, she stood afraid
Stone-still at so strange sights: life heat flew out.
She faints: at last, with long pause thus she said.

Besides the Romane Ladie,
that died for joy to see her sonne returne alive
from the battell of Cannæ, Sophocles and Dionysius the Tyrant,
who
deceased through overgladnes: and Talva, who died in Corsica, reading
the
newes of the honours the Roman Senate had conferred him: It is reported
that in our age, Pope Leo the tenth having received advertisement of
the
taking of the Citie of Millane, which be had so exceedingly desired,
entred
into such excesse of joy, that he fell into an ague whereof he shortly
died. And for a more authenticall testimonie of humane imbecilitie, it
is noted by our Ancients that Diodorus the Logician, being surprised
with
an extreme passion or apprehension of shame, fell down starke dead,
because
neither in his Schoole, nor in publique, he had beene able to resolve
an
argument prepounded unto him. I am little subject to these violent
passions.
I have naturally a hard apprehension, which by discourse I daily harden
more and more.